Detroit Tigers vs New York Yankees

Detroit is 10-6 on the road this season. Starter Tarik Skubal (1.72 ERA) is holding batters to a .162 average with a 41-to-6 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 36+ innings. Detroit has won five of his six starts. The Tigers are 47-30 after losing two of their last three. New York is 5-5 over the last 10 games, including losing as chalk of -275, -135, and -125. They're 24th in fielding percentage and have lost five of the six starts made by Nestor Cortes (3.86 ERA). The Yankees are 8-15 at home after winning two of three, plus 20-31 after two or more straight victories. Play Detroit. 

Detroit finally appears to have a contender and the Tigers have done it with good pitching especially in the bullpen as they are tied for No. 2 in the American League with 11 saves and the relievers have a 2.80 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP. Reese Olson starts tonight and he has pitched better than his 0-4 record indicates and he comes off seven innings against Kansas City when he allowed only one run on three hits. The Tigers have won four of five, including 4-1 over St. Louis on Wednesday featuring a two-run homer by Matt Vierling. New York has lost five of eight after a 7-2 defeat against Baltimore on Thursday. Marcus Stroman has been touched for nine runs his past 14 2/3 innings, but has been fortunate to have gotten good run support from his hitters. Take the Tigers as a Max Play.

The New Kids in the Bronx are generating some excitement in the Big Apple. The Yankees sent out six players 25 years-old or younger the other night for the first time since 1969. The Yankees had quit as they were 2-14 in a 16-game stretch, but since the baby bombers have come up they have awakened having produced a 7-1 record in their last eight games. Detroit was holding reasonably close in the weak AL Central but is out of playoff contention at this point. There is a buzz in New York for the first time all season, and I expect playing at home to an enthusiastic crowd will help the Yankees put another one in the win column. Make the play on New York.